On April 16, 2024, the Mine Safety & Health Administration (“MSHA”) released its final rule for Respirable Crystalline Silica (“RCS”) for preliminary viewing, and it was published in the Federal Register on April 18, 2024....more
On December 20, 2023, and more than two years after announcing a proposed rule, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued its much-anticipated final rule regarding safety plans for powered haulage. The rule...more
California will invest $9.3 billion in 46 transmission projects to accommodate the state’s renewable energy shift, enabling more than 17 GW of solar generation to be added to the grid....more
A group of institutional investors led by the Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR) and the NGO ShareAction has filed a shareholder resolution seeking details of the “specific plan” for Glencore PLC, a...more
While the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) continues to work on developing a new crystalline silica standard (that is expected to cut the exposure limit in half), the agency has decided to ramp up enforcement of...more
MSHA has announced a new campaign focusing on mine operators’ obligations to ensure that miners are fully trained and able to take time to follow best safety practices. To that end, MSHA is providing resources on powered...more
On April 1, 2021, as part of an ongoing review and revision process, seven amendments to the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia came into force. The Code, and its enabling statute, the Mines...more
On January 21, 2021, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. signed an executive order directing the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to take certain actions to address worker safety and health with regard to...more
Coal Earnings Set to Plunge 50% in North America, Moody's Says - "Earnings for North American coal miners may plunge by more than half this year as the coronavirus pandemic makes a weak market even worse, according to...more
As the country begins to reopen, many mine operators are contemplating next steps for their own operations. One certainty is that the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) will continue to enforce the provisions of the...more
The federal agency overseeing mine safety and health has been undergoing a bit of a transformation over the past several years, and employers can expect to see the most significant change in a matter of weeks. The Mine Safety...more
The global mining & metals sector is facing one of its most challenging transitions yet, as the industry is considering how it can best position itself to regain and maintain stakeholder confidence on ESG matters. Miners...more
FBI Eyes How Pennsylvania Approved Pipeline - "The FBI has begun a corruption investigation into how Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration came to issue permits for construction on a multibillion-dollar pipeline project to carry...more
On Thursday, November 7, 2019, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) held the second of five stakeholder meetings to discuss the implementation of the revised Workplace Examination standard for metal/non-metal...more
At the end of July, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”) announced the issuance of a Program Policy Letter (“PPL”) to provide mine operators guidance regarding the existing requirement to provide escape ways or...more
Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria - Queensland - Adani receives green light for controversial Australian coal mine After a battle lasting almost a decade, Adani Mining's controversial AU$2 billion thermal coal...more
Judge Rules Against Oil Companies to Keep Climate Liability Case in Rhode Island - "The ruling will allow Rhode Island prosecutors to continue to bring charges against 21 oil and gas producers including Chevron, Shell and...more
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) held its quarterly stakeholder call on May 2, 2019. MSHA began the discussion by reviewing the five fatalities that occurred in the first quarter of 2019. The agency then...more
NY Natural Gas Moratorium Due to Lack of Pipelines, but Some in Denial - "The slowing of economic development resulting from New York's political actions is a testament to what happens when energy becomes politicized." ...more
On January 24, 2019, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) held its first Quarterly Stakeholder Call of the year. As with previous calls, the agency emphasized its efforts to support its powered haulage safety...more
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently named Deputy Administrator for Coal Mine Safety and Health Timothy R. Watkins to fill the newly created MSHA position of administrator for Coal and Metal/Nonmetal Mine...more
On April 10, 2010, Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch underground coal mine suffered an explosion, resulting in the death of 29 miners. The investigation determined that inadequate ventilation caused a buildup of toxic gases,...more
Last month, the New York Times reported on the identification of the largest cluster of advanced black lung cases ever reported. (And lest you think that this is fake news, the Times contains a link to the article, which was...more
The Mine Safety and Health Administration said it has begun “enhanced” enforcement of its “Rules to Live By” initiative, regulating standards commonly linked to mine deaths, as well as nine underground coal mine exam...more
The Mine Safety and Health Administration said that it is re-launching its annual Preventive Roof/Rib Outreach Program (PROP) to expand awareness among coal miners and mine operators of roof and rib fall hazards. The...more